Opponents Delay Action on Mexican FOIA Amendments

Visiting researcher at The National Security Archive and FOIA Officer at the Chiapas Access to Information Institute

Reforms to the Mexican Federal Law of Transparency and Access to Information are stalled in the Congress because of objections from some lawmakers.

They are criticizing amendments that would give more power to the Federal Institute of Access to Information and finality to its decisions. The bill has cleared one of the House committees (commissions). (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.)

Pedro Vazquez, coordinator of the PT (Work Party), recently wrote to Humberto Benítez Treviño (PRI Party), the President of the Commission of Justice, arguing that government agencies should be allowed to appeal decisions by the Federal Institute of Access to Information (IFAI).

The pending legislation still needs approval by the Justice Commission, headed by Treviño, and the Civil Service Commission, chaired by Pablo Escudero, the PVEM (Green Ecologist Party of Mexico).

Nongovernmental organizations are pressuring members to approve the bill through messages on social networks and events on the main avenues of Mexico City.

Jacqueline Peschard, president of the IFAI, called on lawmakers to pass reforms and even called House opponents of the bill “ignorant.”

Peschard said the House deputies have had sufficient time to discuss and analyze the reforms. She asked Congress to approve the reforms in an extraordinary session. Congress adjourned several weeks ago and will not resume until June.